Ray McGovern, former chairman of the State Boarding
Schools’ Association and Headmaster of St George’s School in Hertfordshire, is
the new chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA), taking over from
Christian Heinrich, Headmaster of Cumnor House preparatory school in West
Sussex.

The Boarding Schools’ Association represents member
boarding schools in the UK, in both the state and independent sectors,
including primary as well as secondary schools. There are 470 schools in BSA,
educating and caring for approximately 72,000 boarders.

Mr McGovern became Headmaster of St George’s School in
Harpenden in April this year. Founded in
1907, St George’s is a large co-ed school, taking both day pupils and boarders
from the age of 11 and achieving some of the best GCSE and A level results in
the country.

Before his appointment to St George’s, McGovern was Headmaster
of Sexey’s School in Bruton, a state boarding school, where he was previously Deputy Head.

Prior to joining the teaching profession, he served in
the Royal Air Force as an aircraft engineer from 1983 to 1992.

His first job in education was as a lecturer in
Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at West Thames College London. From
there he went on to become a teacher of
Design Technology and Deputy Head of sixth form at Charles Darwin School in
Kent. Following this, he was appointed Head of Technology at Christ College, an
independent boarding school in Brecon, becoming a Housemaster the following
year.

‘Many people assume that all boarding schools are
elitist,’ says Ray McGovern. ‘What many may not be aware of is that BSA member schools
cover a diverse range of educational opportunities for children from an equally
diverse range of backgrounds. Independent schools and state boarding schools
(where the education is free); single-sex and co-ed; large and small; selective and non-selective;
full boarding, flexi and weekly. Whatever the child’s and family’s needs, there
will be boarding school that will meet
them.

‘For the family with two working parents who leave home
early and don’t get back until late, boarding schools offer parents – and their
offspring - a quality education that
fits family needs, providing stability and security, supervised homework and
loads of extra-curricular activities. This also applies for lone parents who
need to work shifts or run their own businesses. For parents who live in remote
rural areas where a daily trip to and from school may take several hours, and for
parents who serve in the Armed Forces and are posted abroad two or three times
in a child’s school life, boarding schools offer a safe environment, continuity of
education without the disruption of changing schools, a chance for their child to enjoy sport and
music, and experience a properly managed and varied day. On a sheer cost
analysis basis, boarding can be very attractive when compared to the time and
cost associated with parents taxiing their child to different sports and
activities throughout the week.

‘My most recent experience has been in the state boarding
sector, where the education is free and the boarding is paid for – usually by
parents – and costs between £10,000 and £12,00 a year. But state boarding schools also offer
vulnerable and disadvantaged young
people across England and Wales an
alternative to a childhood in social care.
As soon as a child is in the social care system, his or her educational
progress is likely to be significantly reduced. I would like to see the
government ensure that at every stage where social care is being considered
there is a statutory mechanism for boarding school to be part of the
consideration. ‘

Ray McGovern is married with three children, aged between
14 and 22. His interests include horse-riding and singing tenor in a choir.

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